Portable automobile desk



0a. 18, 1966 J. w. i- IOWKE 3,279,872

PORTABLE AUTOMOBILE DESK Filed Feb. 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

2 JOHN W HOWKE ATTORNEY J. w. HOWKE 3,279,872

PORTABLE AUTOMOBILE DESK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 18, 1966 Filed Feb. 1. 1965 INVENTOR. JOHN W. HOWKE BY QR ATTORNE Y United States Patent 3,279,872 PORTABLE AUTOMOBILE DESK John W. Howke, 963 Marin Ave., Hayward, Calif. Filed Feb. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 429,405 4 Claims. (Cl. 312-235) The present invention relates to improvements in a portable automobile desk and it consists in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a portable automobile desk that can be mounted in a vehicle and placed next to the driver where he can have ready access thereto and it may be removed from the vehicle and used in an office or at home. The desk also functions as a file cabinet and it has a width and depth designed to hold letter or legal-sized files. The desk is supported by the front seat of the vehicle and it has a front portion that extends downwardly toward the floor of the vehicle. This front portion can hold longer items that cannot be conveniently filed in the portion of the file cabinet that overlies the vehicle seat. Novel supporting means is carried by the elongated front portion of the device and it can be adjusted to contact with the vehicle floor and accommodate the center hump that is prevalent in most vehicle floors. The elongated front portion of the device extends at an acute angle with respect to the remainder of the file cabinet that rests on the vehicle seat and this braces the device in such a manner that it will have no tendency to pitch forward in the vehicle when the driver brings the vehicle to a stop.

Another novel feature of the invention is that the device has extendible legs, for supporting it on the floor of a building when the device is transferred from the vehicle to an office or the home. Building contractors and others are thus able to file all necessary papers and drawings in the device and can refer to them on the job when the device is in the vehicle or in the oflfice after the device is removed from the vehicle to the ofiice building. The top of the device when used in a room is preferably about thirty-one inches high.

When the device is used in the vehicle, the top is positioned at a convenient height so that the driver can use it for writing memos or spreading drawings or other papers on it. To this end the sides of the device are provided with side wings that can be swung from inoperative position into operative position where they will lie flush with the desk top and form extensions thereof. A clip board can be used on the desk top for clipping papers thereto. The desk top can be swung into an open position when it is desired to gain access to the filing compartments. The sizes and shapes of the filing compartments can be altered to suit the type of work being performed by the contractor or business man. Articles for the particular type of trade such as electrical items for the electrician, etc., could be stored in the compartments as well as papers.

The portable automobile desk is simple in construction and is durable and efi'icient for the purpose intended.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues. The novel features of the invention will be set forth in the appended claims.

Drawings For a better understanding of my invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the device as shown mounted in a vehicle.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of FIGURE 1 with a portion being shown in section.

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FIGURE 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the device when removed from the vehicle and supported by its own adjustable legs.

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation of FIGURE 4 and shows the hinged side leaves in raised or operative position.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description In carrying out my invention I provide a portable automobile desk that has an elongated cabinet portion indicated generally at A that is adapted to rest upon the top of an automobile seat indicated generally at B when the device is mounted in a vehicle. An upwardly extending elongated cabinet portion C is placed at the front of the elongated cabinet portion A and single side walls 1 and 2 interconnect these cabinet portions. It will be seen from FIGURE 3 that the elongated cabinet portion A extends at an acute angle with respect to the upwardly extending cabinet portion C and the purpose of this is to cause the bottom wall 3 of the elongated portion A to rest upon the top 4 of the automobile seat B, see FIGURE 1. When the device is in this position, the front wall 5 of the upwardly extending cabinet portion C will be inclined at a slight angle to the right of a vertical plane indicated by the dot-dash line 6 in FIGURE 1. I have found that when the front wall 5 is so inclined when the device is mounted in a vehicle, there will be no tendency for the device to tend to pitch forwardly when the vehicle is brought to a stop.

The side walls 1 and 2, the bottom wall 3 and a rear wall 7 enclose the elongated cabinet portion A, see FIG- URE 3. The side walls 1 and 2 together with the front wall 5 and a bottom wall 8 and a rear wall 9 enclose the upwardly extending elongated cabinet portion C. It is possible to have the rear Wall 9 for the cabinet portion C extend upwardly above the bottom wall 3 and form a front wall for the elongated cabinet portion A. On the other hand the rear wall 9 of the cabinet portion C, could have its upper edge coincide with the forward edge of the bottom wall 3 of the cabinet portion A and thus the two cabinet sections A and C could function as one.

I do not wish to be confined to any particular arrangement of compartments formed in the cabinet portions A and C. In FIGURE 3, I show the cabinet portion A provided with three partitions 19 for dividing it into compartments. The width of the cabinet portion A is preferably long enough to accommodate folders of either letter or legal size and the depth is sutficient to receive these folders. The depth of the cabinet portion C is much greater than that of the cabinet portion A and items having a greater length such as rolls of drawings, etc., can be placed in this cabinet portion. It is possible to use the cabinet portions A and C for storing all kinds of items and I do not Wish to be confined to any particular use for the device.

I provide a single hinged cover D for closing the tops of the cabinet portions A and C. This cover will extend from the side wall 1 to the side wall 2 as clearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 5 and the length of the cover will be from the front wall 5 for the cabinet section C to the rear wall 7 for the cabinet section A. The rear edge of the cover D is hinged at 11 to the upper edge of the rear wall 7. It will be noted from FIGURE 1 that the plane of the cover D will parallel the plane of the top 4 of the automobile seat B. The cover D will be at such a height above the top 4 of the automobile seat and will be inclined at such an angle that the driver can use the cover as a writing surface or for supporting papers. The elbow of the driver will be positioned above the top of the cover D and the forearm of the driver can extend across the top of the cover which is a natural position for writing on paper resting on the cover. A spring-pressed clamp E is mounted on the top of the cover D and is disposed near the front edge of the cover. The clamp E together with the cover D will constitute a clip-board for holding papers on the cover.

In FIGURES 1, 2 and 5, I show the device provided with a pair of hinged side leaves F and G. The side leaf F is hinged at 12 to the upper edge of the side wall 1 while the side leaf G is hinged at 13 to the upper edge of the side wall 2. Collapsible bracing struts 14 are shown in extended position in FIGURE for holding the side leaf or wing F in a plane paralleling the plane of the cover D. These collapsible bracing struts 14 are shown in folded position in FIGURES 1 and 2 to permit the side wing or leaf F to be svnlng into an inoperative position.

A permanent magnet I5, may be embedded in the undersurface of the side wing F and when this side wing or leaf is in closed position, the permanent magnet will be disposed opposite to a metal keeper 16 that is embedded in the side wall 1. The magnet will be attracted to the keeper and this is one way for releasably holding the side wing or hinged leaf F in closed or inoperative position. FIGURE 5 shows the bracing struts I4 pivotally connected to the front and rear edges of the side leaf F and pivotally connected to the front wall 5 and the rear wall 7 of the device.

In like manner the hinged side leaf or wing G can be held in open position by bracing struts 17, see FIGURE 5. These bracing struts are similar to the bracing struts 14 and are pivotally secured to the front and rear edges of the side leaf G and to the front wall 5 and the rear Wall 7 of the device as shown in FIGURE 3. The side wing G has a permanent magnet 18 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 5 and this magnet registers with a metal keeper l9 placed in the side wall 2 when the wing or leaf is in inoperative or closed position. This arrangement will releasably hold the side leaf G in closed position and will prevent it from rattling. When the two side wings or leaves F and G are swung into open position as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, they will lie flush with the top of the cover D and this will give a much greater area -or work surface for holding drawings, maps and the like.

In FIGURES 1 to 3 inclusive, I show how th front of the device can be supported by the vehicle floor H. I provide adjustable supporting means so that the device can be mounted in dilferent types of automobiles or vehicles and yet the front of the device will be supported by the vehicle floor. In FIGURE 2, I show the side wall 2 of the device extending below the bottom Wall 8 and being provided with a pair of bolts 20 having wing nuts 21 mounted thereon, see also FIGURE 3. An adjustable foot I has a pair of arcuate slots 22 and 23 formed therein for slidably receiving the shanks of the bolts 20 The arcuate slots 22 and 23 not only permit vertical adjustment of the adjustable foot I with respect to the bolts 20, but they also permit angular adjustment of the foot with respect to the side wall 2 so that the lower edge 24 of the foot may be angularly adjusted as well as vertically adjusted. In this way the driver can first loosen the wing nuts 21 on the bolts 20 and then move the adjustable foot I vertically as well as angularly so as to bring the lower edge 24 of the foot into contact with the upper surface of the vehicle floor H. He then can tighten the nuts 21 on the bolts 20 for securing the foot I in adjusted position. The foot will now support the side 2 of the device.

The lower portion of the front wall 5 is provided with an arcuate recess 25, see FIGURE 2 and this recess 25 is designed to receive the central hump 26 normally pro vided in the floor of the vehicle. It is possible to have the arcuate edge 25 of the recess rest directly upon the central portion of the hump 26 as shown in FIGURE 2. If, however, the right hand side wall I of the device should be raised so that its lower edge portion 1a is spaced above the central portion of the floor hump 26-, then an auxiliary adjustable foot K can be moved downwardly so that its lower edge 27 will contact with the top of the floor hump 26 and support the right hand side wall of the device at the proper height so that the cover D will be held in proper position.

The adjustable foot K has an elongated slot 28 therein and bolts 29 are mounted in the side wall 1 and are slidably received in the slot 28 for guiding the auxiliary adjustable foot K in its vertical movement. Wing nuts 31) are mounted on the bolts 29 and secure the foot K in adjusted position with respect to the side wall 1. In FIGURE 2, the lower edge 27 of the foot K is shown spaced above the edge of the arcuate recess 25 because the edge of this recess bears directly upon the center of the floor hump 26. If the recess edge 25 were spaced above the hump 26, then the foot K would be extended for resting on the floor'hump. The foot K is used for another purpose which will be described later.

In FIGURES 4 and 5, I show the device removed from the vehicle and resting upon a supporting surface such as the floor 31 of a building. I provide foldable rear legs L and these are shown in folded position in FIGURE 1 and in extended position in FIGURES 4 and 5. Each leg is identical and therefore a description of one will suflice for both. The leg L has a slot 32 and a pivot pin 33 is carried by each side wall 1 and 2 and is slidably received in the slot 32. A socket M is secured to each side wall 1 and 2, see FIGURE 5 and the open end of the socket faces downwardly.

The upper end 34 of the leg L is removably receivable in the socket M when the leg L is in operative position as shown in FIGURE 4. The socket M when receiving the upper end 34 of the leg, will not only limit the upward movement of the leg with respect tot he device, but will also prevent the leg from pivoting about the pin 33. Furthermore the socket will hold the leg so that the lower end 35 of the leg will rest upon the floor 31 and support the device in a proper position. The front of the device will then have the lower edge 5a of the front wall 5 and the lower edge 2a of the side wall 2 rest directly upon the floor 31, see FIGURE 4. Also the auxiliary adjustable foor K will be lowered with respect to the device so that its lower edge 27 will rest upon the floor 31. In this way the device is supported on the floor and can constitute a portable desk.

It is possible to change the adjustment of the legs I and K so that the cover D will be in a horizontal plane rather than the inclined plane .as shown in FIGURE 4. The interior of the device is adapted to contain any kind of articles such as fishing tackle, electrical tools, plumbing tools, surveying instruments, etc.

I claim:

1. A device of the type described comprising:

(a) a container having a box-like portion adapted to rest on the top of a vehicle seat and a front hollow portion that extends downwardly over the front of the seat;

(b) said box-like portion and front hollow portion having a top and bottom with the bottom of the front hollow portion being below the bottom of the boxlike portion;

(c) side walls for said box-like portion between the top and bottom and side walls for the front hollow portion between the top and bottom with at least one of said side walls extending below the bottom of said front hollow portion;

(d) said front hollow portion having a front wall with its lower edge terminating at the ends of the side walls of said front hollow portion and defining an arcuate recess between said side walls;

(e) an extensible leg carried by each side wall of said front hollow portion with one of said legs being positioned above the bottom of said front hollow portion in its retracted position and the other leg in its retracted position being positioned below the bottom of said front hollow portion and at least even with the bottom of said side wall in its retracted position;

(f) said last-mentioned leg being of a width commensurate with the width of said one of said side walls and means provided in said leg to permit said leg to be adjusted vertically and angularly with respect to said side wall.

2. A device of the type as set forth in claim 1 wherein leaves are hinged to the upper edges of the side walls for said box-like portion and said front hollow portion and means for supporting said leaves in operative position to be in the same plane as the top of said box-like portion and front hollow portion.

3. A device of the type as set forth in claim 1 wherein said box-like portion is provided with a pair of legs spaced from said front hollow portion with said legs being pivotally mounted on the side walls of said box-like portion.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 and in which:

(a) each rear leg has a longitudinally extending slot therein for slidably receiving the pivot in that pivotally connects the leg to the side wall of the device;

and

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/ 1920 Streich 108-129 9/1922 Gunn 108-81 2/ 1949 Peterson 312-282 4/1960 Bohnett 312-293 7/1960 Golding 5-310 8/1962 Haase 108-44 10/ 1962 Whetstone 312-256 FOREIGN PATENTS 11/ 1963 Germany.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

25 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED COMPRISING: (A) A CONTAINER HAVING A BOX-LIKE PORTION ADAPTED TO REST ON THE TOP OF A VEHICLE SEAT AND A FRONT HOLLOW PORTION THAT EXTENDS DOWNWARDLY OVER THE FRONT OF THE SEAT; (B) SAID BOX-LIKE PORTION AND FRONT HOLLOW PORTION HAVING A TOP AND BOTTOM WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE FRONT HOLLOW PORTION BEING BELOW THE BOTTOM OF THE BOXLIKE PORTION; (C) SIDE WALLS FOR SAID BOX-LIKE PORTION BETWEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM AND SIDE WALLS FOR THE FRONT HOLLOW PORTION BETWEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM WITH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS EXTENDING BELOW THE BOTTOM OF SAID FRONT HOLLOW PORTION; (D) SAID FRONT HOLLOW PORTION HAVING A FRONT WALL WITH ITS LOWER EDGE TERMINATING AT THE ENDS OF THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID FRONT HOLLOW PORTION AND DEFINING AN ARCUATE RECESS BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS; (E) AN EXTENSIBLE LEG CARRIED BY EACH SIDE WALL OF SAID FRONT HOLLOW PORTION WITH ONE OF SAID LEGS BEING POSITIONED ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF SAID FRONT HOLLOW PORTION IN ITS RETRACTED POSITION AND THE OTHER LEG IN ITS RETRACTED POSITION BEING POSITIONED BELOW THE BOTTOM OF SAID FRONT HOLLOW PORTION AND AT LEAST EVEN WITH THE BOTTOM OF SAID SIDE WALL IN ITS RETRACTED POSITION; (F) SAID LAST-MENTIONED LEG BEING OF A WIDTH COMMENSURATE WITH THE WIDTH OF SAID ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND MEANS PROVIDED IN SAID LEG TO PERMIT SAID LEG TO BE ADJUSTED VERTICALLY AND ANGULARLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID SIDE WALL. 